


sailing free

by kiroiimye



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, Friendship, Implied 707 | Choi Luciel/Main Character, Ocean, Pirates, Sailing, Sailor AU, Soft Choi Saeran, best bros, mermaid mc, pirate au kinda?, this is such a weird story i don't know how to tag it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 09:44:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18938389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiroiimye/pseuds/kiroiimye
Summary: The wind blows past his ear, soft and sweet and their ship sails on. Saeran and Saeyoung stand, shoulder to shoulder, as the endless blue passes by. There’s no change in the waters; only the waves they make as the ship rolls through.The Lady Moon rises again, her silvery radiance serene and calming and Saeyoung watches the night sky again, searching, searching. His gold eyes flitter around the darkened horizon, and he’s not sure what he’s looking for, but there’s a nagging in his chest and head that there’s something out there.It doesn’t happen immediately, but the first thing Saeyoung notices is the wind, or the absence of it. The night is silent, and not even the sea speaks a word. It’s eerie and when Saeyoung faces his brother, there’s already wariness written all over him.Something’s coming.And then, the ship stops.In which Saeyoung happens upon a mysterious young woman from the sea.





	sailing free

**** The wind’s whisper is what wakes Saeyoung from his bedroll. He’s not sure how he hears it; he sleeps below decks with the rest of the crew. His brother, Saeran, is the only one who chooses to sleep outside; his bed located in the crow’s nest. After living in captivity for almost all his life, he prefers the cover of the night sky and Lady Moon’s shining face to the darkness of the suffocating cabins.

The murmurs worm into the crevices of the ship, against all odds, coming from the sea and into the sleeping quarters below. 

The urging is near silent, but it rings in Saeyoung’s ears and head and it’s almost impossible for him to go back to sleep, and so he rises from his hammock. His feet land on the wooden floor without a sound and the ship creaks as it wavers on the ocean’s hands. 

Sparing a glance at his sleeping shipmates, he opens the trapdoor to the deck above and climbs his way to fresh sea air and open space.

——

The ocean breeze hits his arms the minute he touches the deck, and he grins, welcoming the salty scent of the sea and kisses it bestows upon him. He ambles to the ship railing, gazing below at the navy blue of the shimmering waves.

Up above, the Lady Moon smiles down upon the stout earth and ever changing ocean, her smile reflecting against the glassy waters. Her handmaidens dance around her, never touching, but close enough to hold hands and create pictures in the sky. 

It’s tranquil and refreshing from the stifling air in the sleeping quarters below and Saeyoung leans against the railing, fluttering his eyes closed. 

“Saeyoung. What are you doing up?” The moment is disturbed by a quiet voice and the speaker is someone Saeyoung has seen in the mirror too many times. The only distinction between him and the reflection standing on the deck are the luminescent green eyes that bore into his own gold. 

“Hey Saeran! Fancy seeing you here, eh?” 

Saeran doesn’t reply, only choosing to stand next to Saeyoung. He’s a couple centimeters shorter than his older brother, and he props his elbows up on the wooden rails to look beyond the ocean. 

“What are you doing up?” he asks again. “You’re normally fast asleep by now.”

Saeyoung takes the time to look at his brother, his gold eyes scanning over the too-similar features they share. Crimson hair, pale skin that had been tinted a slight gold by the sun, slender figure. 

The only difference is the mint green eyes. It’s bright and eerie in stark contrast to the golden eyes they both used to share and every time Saeyoung meets his brother’s gaze, they send an unnerving tingle down his spine and his instincts whisper,  _ danger. danger. _

Tonight is no different, and even from a side view, Saeyoung still feels his body shudder away and he pulls his gaze away. 

“Well?” Saeran prompts again, and he can feel the unnerving mint eyes on him, sharp and observant.

“I heard a noise,” Saeyoung admits truthfully. 

“What kind of noise?”

Saeyoung shrugs. “It...It was probably the wind. Nothing really. But I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.”

He doesn’t look at Saeran, but he can feel his eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“The wind woke you up in the quarters below deck,” Saeran says, voice tinted with confusion. “The trapdoor was closed.”

“I know. It was weird.”

They don’t say anything after that, and the peaceful moment returns, but there’s still an uneasiness hanging in the air that doesn’t dispel. 

——

The next night, Saeyoung lingers on the deck, Saeran by his side, while the others drift off to bed.

“Trying to hear that wind again?” Saeran asks dryly. 

He leans against the mast, body taunt, arms folded across his chest. The mint eyes are bright against the fading light of the evening, vivid, with an amused gleam.

Saeyoung frowns at his brother. “It was weird. You  _ know  _ I’m a deep sleeper.”

“Tch. Still, it’s just wind.”

Saeyoung wants to concede to Saeran, he really does, but the whisper that had escaped into that cabins that night is too strange to ignore, so he shrugs and leans over the railing to gaze at the last rays of light beyond the horizon.

They begin to dim as they disappear behind the sea, coloring the waves with gold before being completely devoured by the night. 

The wind blows past his ear, soft and sweet and their ship sails on. Saeran and Saeyoung stand, shoulder to shoulder, as the endless blue passes by. There’s no change in the waters; only the waves they make as the ship rolls through. 

The Lady Moon rises again, her silvery radiance serene and calming and Saeyoung watches the night sky again, searching, searching. His gold eyes flitter around the darkened horizon, and he’s not sure what he’s looking for, but there’s a nagging in his chest and head that there’s something out there. 

It doesn’t happen immediately, but the first thing Saeyoung notices is the wind, or the absence of it. The night is silent, and not even the sea speaks a word. It’s eerie and when Saeyoung faces his brother, there’s already wariness written all over him. 

_ Something’s coming. _

And then, the ship stops. 

It freezes in place, and below them, the murky midnight waters don’t move. The night is still, silent, and has shifted into something dangerous. Instinctively, Saeyoung and Saeran back away from the railing and into each other, back to back.

The tingle starts at Saeyoung’s spine and makes its ascent upwards, tickling the back of his neck. The hairs on his arms stand up straight, and he feels his shoulders tense.

Below deck, their crewmates don’t stir and there’s no creak of the ship either. 

“Saeran, what’s going on?” he whispers, not daring to raise his voice.

“I don’t know, but stay on your guard,” he mutters back. 

Then, there’s a creak. Another. And another. It comes from the right, and Saeran whispers next to him, “Starboard.”

Saeyoung nods numbly and they both turn their attention to starboard side. The sight makes their jaws drop open.

A girl sits on the wooden railing. Her hair is the color of chocolate, tumbling down her shoulders and falling in ringlets to her waist, and her eyes are dark and piercing. There’s something ethereal about her, despite looking so normal, and Saeyoung can’t put his finger on it. Nevertheless, she stretches her hand out and beckons them forward. 

Saeyoung can’t help it; his body moves forward out of his own accord. He takes a step closer to her, and he feels Saeran reach out and grip his wrist.

“Stop,” he whispers. “Don’t move. She could be dangerous.”

He nods stiffly, but his foot takes another step towards her anyways. 

“Saeyoung.”

His name. Was that his name? Saeyoung can barely remember, his thoughts jumping out of his head the longer he keeps eye contact with the girl.

She tilts her head curiously at him, her eyes glittering. Her hand is still outstretched and waiting and he can’t resist taking another step closer.

“Saeyoung, come  _ back.”  _ His brother’s voice is insistent and firm and anxious, but it’s also muffled by the buzzing in his head.

No, not buzzing. A murmur. A gentle hum. 

_ Come. Come with me. _

There’s a faint pressure around Saeyoung’s wrist and he shakes it off; he needs to get closer to the girl.

“Saeyoung. Saeyoung. Saeyoung,” the voice pleads. “Come back.”

_ Come with me. _

“Hold on,” Saeyoung mumbles. “Just...let me…”

He reaches her and places his hand in hers. Her hand is soft and small in comparison to his roughened and calloused hands, and it wraps around his wrist, tugging him over the railing.

“Saeyoung!” The other voice is now a shout. “Come back!”

He feels himself turn back to the boy with red hair and mint eyes. The eyes that were too vibrant, too bright, are now pools of desperation. 

“I’ll be back,” Saeyoung hears himself promise. “I’ll come back.”

And then he’s pulled over the starboard side of the ship.

——

They don’t crash headfirst into the water; rather it welcomes them, encircling them in its arms. It’s surprisingly warm, despite the earlier breeze, and to Saeyoung’s surprise, he’s still dry. 

“Whoa…” he breathes, glancing at his arms and clothes. 

There’s a sharp tug on his wrist and suddenly, he’s being pulled along by the girl. 

“Where are you taking me?” he asks, but she doesn’t respond, merely glancing back at him with a toss of her hair. 

It swirls around her as they move and it’s then he realizes that the girl has a shimmering green tail. It bats back and forth, kicking up bubbles...bubbles? Saeyoung spares a look up and the surface above ripples, with rising air bubbles. Higher still, the silvery moonlight casts into the water, lighting the dark ocean. 

Were they...underwater?

“Hey, how long have we been underwater?” Saeyoung tries again. No response. “Wait...how am I talking if I’m underwater?”

Her nails bite into his arms and her piercing eyes shoot daggers at him, causing him to shut up. 

_ Christ...who is this girl? _

She eventually stops them at a low sitting cave, nestled in the coral and waving sea anemones. She looks back at him and nods towards it. 

_ Ready? _

Saeyoung shrugs; there’s really no other appropriate response. 

The girl tightens her grip as she leads him into the cave. For a few moments, his world is dark and then his vision is enveloped by a pure white light.

Sunspots dance in front of his eyes for a few blinding minutes, but when it clears, the view takes his breath away. 

The sea is sprawled out before him, all the way to the far end, where the dark midnight of the sky touches the turquoise waters. The stars dot across the sky like freckles across a face, and every single light shimmers against the rolling waves. Up above, a moon of golden light gleams, as if touched by King Midas. At the edge of the world, the sun rises over the horizon in a burst of silver light. 

“I...where is this place?” Saeyoung whispers.

“A place where the moon is made of gold, and ocean meets the sky.” 

Saeyoung whips around and the girl stands, now on two feet. Her hair drapes over his shoulder in a thick waves and her skin is pale against the golden light. 

“Who are you?” he demands. “And where am I?”

The girl smiles demurely at him and moves to sit at the edge of the cave. With a start, Saeyoung realizes the cave dangles at the end of a tall cliff. One wrong move and…

“Nowhere. And at the same, everywhere,” she answers. “Come. Sit.”

Saeyoung frowns. “What do you mean? Why did you take me here?”

“Because you heard me, didn’t you? You heard the calling.”

“What calling?” 

The girl’s lips curl into a frown. “The hum in the wind, is that not what you heard?” 

“That was  _ you?!” _ he yelps. 

She shrugs. “It was the ocean. It called you and you answered, so I took you.”

“I...I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to.” She turns to face him completely, her eyes bright in the moon’s light. “For now, you just need to enjoy it here until the sun rises.”

“Again, why?”

This time, she rolls her eyes. “This ocean, this land you see here--this is paradise for all sailors and pirates, like you. So I’d enjoy it while you can.”

Saeyoung gazes out over the sea, towards the light beyond, and then he looks back at the girl next to him. She too, is gazing over the sea, and the wind tousles her hair, fluttering the brown locks around her face. 

There’s something forlorn about her, Saeyoung thinks. It’s in the way she stands, hands clasped behind her back, eyes casted upwards towards the sky. 

He spares a glance down below, where the sea meets the sand. Although blurred, he can see groups of animals and people alike wandering the beach, their feets buried in the sand. With a stubborn resolve, he tears his gaze away and looks at her.

“Dance with me,” he says, the words slipping out of his mouth.

She turns, startled. “What?”

“Dance with me,” he repeats. 

She arches an eyebrow, lips twitching. “You have limited time to spend in paradise, but you want to dance. With me.” There’s a tinge of smothered, disbelieving laughter beneath her skeptical tone, but Saeyoung doesn’t give in. He doesn’t think he wants to.

“Yes.” Saeyoung offers a hand to her and she stares down at it, before taking it. 

“Alright, sailor boy. Let’s dance.” 

Saeyoung lets her handle the hand placement, and they begin to sway back and forth. Their steady movements drift them away from the edge of the cliff and a breeze blows from the west, threading through his ruffled hair and her ocean curls. The wind doesn’t stop and it carries a soft hum within, drifting through the air and swirling around them. 

“Do you hear that?” she asks. 

Saeyoung nods quietly, closing his eyes and letting the wind whisk. The melody surrounds them entirely and it’s a whirlwind of notes and rising crescendo, yet a silent murmur at the same time.

“It’s the song of the sea,” she hums. “The calling that echoes on and on.”

“It’s beautiful,” he admits. 

And it is. The quietude of the music is soothing in his heart and he feels oddly content to be swaying on the edge of the cliff with a stranger. 

“You know, some say the ocean’s song comes from an old rhyme. A sailor’s story, really,” she says as she twirls in his arms. 

Saeyoung clicks his tongue. “Sailor stories are never true.”

“This one is.” She smiles up at him impishly and to his utter surprise, there’s a dimple on each cheek. “Mo Stoirin, yes? I’m sure you’ve heard of it. An old folks’ rhyme.”

When Saeyoung shakes his head, she sighs and begins to croon the words. “Oh, won’t you come with me, where the moon is made of gold. And in the morning sun, we’ll be sailing free…”

Her voice is sweet and matches the wind’s hum. It’s alluring and Saeyoung feels his eyelids fluttering as the silver sun’s light rests upon his hair and face. Although he tries to keep his eyes open, he begins to slump against her, and she catches him, stopping the waltz.

_ “Hush now, close your eyes and sleep…” _

——

Saeyoung awakens on the deck of the ship. His whole body is sore and aching, as if he had just been punched in the gut. He uses his elbows to push himself up and his gaze drifts around the ship. His eyes catch on Saeran, whose body is crumpled against the mast and he starts for his brother. 

“Saeran!” he half shouts, but there’s not a sign of a stir from his brother. 

Saeyoung scrambles to his feet and rushes over, ignoring the throbbing ache in his core. He kneels down next to Saeran, and checks his pulse. Wane and gentle and  _ oh— _ it’s there. It’s not the frantic pummeling of a racing heartbeat, but rather a quiet thrum underneath pale skin, and Saeyoung releases his brother’s wrist.

He’s undoubtedly awake now; he’s not sure he can go back to sleep. So Saeyoung puts his brother to bed first: he climbs, one handed, to the lookout nest, where his brother likes to sleep, and deposits him on a swaying hammock. It’s cramped and dirty, Saeyoung notices, but it’s high above and seemingly touching the skies. He can see the appeal of the nest--he doesn’t see the thrashing ocean or the wooden ship decks. There’s nothing but open sky and cosmos for miles. 

_ And that’s the difference between me and Saeran, _ Saeyoung thinks, leaning against the railing of the nest. 

Saeyoung likes ocean and sea, likes the wildness of it, the unpredictability. He likes adventures and the feeling of the unknown and a mystery of what comes next and untold futures. He likes the ocean, for its hidden discoveries and the idea of always  _ searching  _ for something that he’s yet to find. 

Saeran likes sky and stars and horizons that stretch until the end of the world. He likes the idea of  _ endless-- _ the sky is endless, stretching until god-knows-when-or-where. He likes the freedom of the sky and stars, full isolation so high up, yet still there, still  _ noticeable.  _ He likes midnight and day time and afternoon and evening, for there’s always the unspoken truth that it will end, but it still won’t. The sky is hope and curiosity and that there will always be something there. 

Saeyoung looks back at the hammock holding his brother, and it’s still, only emitting quiet snores from the figure tucked in it. He smiles, before looking over the horizon again.

There’s light flashing over the sea, sparking with yellow and orange and gold of a typical sunrise, and on a whim, Saeyoung reaches towards the light, letting the rays touch his fingers. It slides through his fingers like silk, and he turns his hand over and over. 

The sun is glorious in the sky as it burns brighter over the horizon and something tugs at the edge of his memory, a whisper that carries in the shadowy depths of his mind.

_ Come with me? _

The beginning rays of the sun suddenly feel cold and a memory of golden moons and silver suns drifts listlessly throughout his mind, humming. 

_ Won’t you come with me? Here to paradise, where the moon is made of gold. _

The rhyme flutters like a butterfly, hovering, before it dives back into the vast oceans of meandering thoughts. And as soon as it vanishes, the morning light changes. 

It gleams silver against the ocean, ethereal and unreal, and high above, the moon is golden like a pirate doubloon, shining like a small sun. 

It doesn’t last any longer than a blink, but even long after the silver sun and golden moon are gone and Saeyoung’s crew mates have awoken from below deck, there’s an ambience that hangs in the air and it doesn’t dissipate.

The ocean continues its waltz.

**Author's Note:**

> [song of the sea](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5P2-9YY7qU)
> 
> \---
> 
> this was such a weird au honestly. but it's ben stuck in my drafts forever, so I thought, hey just finish it, right? 
> 
> \---
> 
> [tumblr](https://kiroiimye.tumblr.com/) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/kiroiimye)


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